My book is called Chasing Vermeer. It is a realistic fiction novel because it deals with mysteries. The book was a New York Times best seller. The author, Blue Balliett, loved thinking creatively since she was eight. I chose to read it because my Grandpa liked Vermeer’s painting, The Geographer, and I like it too. We also went looking all over town for a movie about Vermeer.

The two main characters are sixth graders named Calder Pillay and Petra Andalee. Calder has a pocket full of pentominoes. He says they are like a puzzle. Petra likes to take notes in a notebook she always carries. Their teacher is Ms. Hussey. She presented them the issue about the painting, which will be explained later in the essay. She also poses questions about the mystery.

The book is written in third person. Calder’s class heard about a painting theft that Ms. Hussey called a “Murder”. They solve an excitingly artistic mystery to find who stole the painting, A Lady Writing, by Johannes Vermeer. Calder writes letters to his friend, Tommy, that lives in New York City. He writes to him about what they are doing. Just to find out that the painting was stolen by, Xavier Glitts, Tommy’s Stepfather.

The thematic statements in the book are art which can be found anywhere from a stairwell in Fargo Hall, to a classroom at University School. Just like at my house, I also have creative artwork from my Grandpa, whose paintings are hanging from my bedroom, to MD Anderson Cancer Center, offices in El Paso Independent School District, and Austin Independent School District.

The book had all strengths and no weaknesses. I would rate it a 11-Star book. It was very exciting.The book offered a lot of page turners. When they thought that they found the painting in Gracie Hall, which was now sold by the Elementary School, all they really saw was just a drawing of someone with an eager pear-shaped head and a green bun. writing at a table. Her one visible ear was graced with what looked like a dangling ping pong ball. There’s an orange moon behind her, and a melting castle. The painting might have been done by a second grader. This is an example of a red herring. There were several interesting red herrings.